Kingsmen battle, but come up short at Liberty

The hard luck continued for Putnams football team last Friday, as the Kingsmen dropped a 43-36 barnburner at Liberty and slipped to 1-5 on the season (1-3 in the Northwest Oregon Conference).

Trailing 43-22, the Kingsmen put 14 points on the scoreboard inside the final six minutes of play, but couldnt quite make up the deficit.

Liberty quarterback Blake Walker was the Kingsmens nemesis. The 6-4, 160-pound sophomore played a part in four Falcon touchdowns, rushing for touchdowns in the second and third periods, completing a 5-yard pass to 5-10, 180-pound junior Austin Mason for a touchdown in the second quarter, and completing a 39-yard pass to 5-10, 155-pound junior Levi Posen near the midpoint of the final period, to seal the win.

John Bradley had a huge night for Putnam, and his heroics helped keep the Kingsmen in the game. The 5-9, 170-pound senior returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown, ran 84 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 Kingsmen lead in the first period, and teamed up with junior quarterback Josie Swain for a 95-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter that gave the Kingsmen a chance to win the game.

Putnam also got touchdowns from Tyler Strauss on an 85-yard kickoff return; and from Samuel Jackson-Palmer, on a 19-yard run.

The Kingsmen will attempt to regroup and get back on the win track this Friday, when they entertain St. Helens (2-4, 0-4).

The St. Helens Lions lost 31-18 at Sandy last Friday; Putnam lost at Sandy, 33-14, on Sept. 13.

St. Helens and Putnam were ranked 23rd and 24th respectively in the OSAA power rankings entering play this week.

Still in search of their first win of the season in football, the Milwaukie Mustangs self-destructed at Wilsonville on Friday, yielding 51-7.

It appeared like the Mustangs might make a game of it until the early in the second half. Nursing a 14-0 lead at the intermission, the Cats scored 30 points during the first 6-1/2 minutes of the third quarter, as they upped their advantage to 44-0 and put the game on ice. The second half implosion began with a punt snap that sailed over the head of Milwaukies punter, resulting in a safety.